April 5
At 5:41 a.m., police responded to an Oakridge Ave. location on a report of an unwanted man sitting on the steps of a residence. Police arrested the man, Eric Perry Jr., 24, of Nutley, after learning he had an outstanding warrant from Saddle Brook. He was later released after being issued a new court date in Saddle Brook.
April 7
At 8:40 a.m., police went to a Park Ave. business on a report of criminal mischief. Police said they found graffiti, written in silver type paint, on the west side of the building.
At 12:34 p.m., a theft victim told police someone took their credit card from the center console of their vehicle while it was parked on Chestnut Place. Police said the card had been used to purchase more than $250 worth of merchandise at different places. Police said the financial institution that issued the card canceled the account and reimbursed the victim.
April 8
At 1:11 p.m., police were sent to a Harrison St. business on a report of a possible shoplifter. The manager told police that a man described as black or Hispanic with light brown skin, light brown hair, about 5-feet-four, wearing glasses and a black sweat suit, entered the store with a large white bag and, soon after, left the store around the security scanner. The manager said that when he followed the man outside, the suspect ran west on Harrison St. Police said they searched the area but couldn’t find him. After checking the store’s surveillance tape, and after the manager checked the aisle where the man was initially seen, police said they determined that the suspect had shoplifted seven or eight boxes of Rogaine, valued at about $53 each.
At 3:54 p.m., police were called to the Nutley Public Library on a report of an iPhone5 taken from a juvenile. Police said the suspected thief is a possible eighth-grader, wearing a black-hooded sweatshirt, black jeans and braces. Police said the suspect approached another juvenile who was borrowing the victim’s phone, and said the victim wanted their phone back. After being given the phone, the suspect then left, police said.
At 4:15 p.m., a Friedland Road resident reported their $600 laptop computer missing from their vehicle.
April 9
At 6:07 p.m., a River Road resident told police someone had removed their FedEx package, valued at $48, from outside their doorway. Police said the package’s shipping label was found on the grass near the entrance to the building. Police said FedEx confirmed delivery.
April 11
A fraud victim told police they received a returned package from FedEx that they didn’t send out. Police said the package contained a fraudulent check for $1,085 from Regional Home Care, Inc. After contacting FedEx, the victim learned that several checks had been sent to several people around the country. The victim was asked to deposit the check, take $200 and purchase a Green Dot Moneypak and email the 14-digit PIN to a certain address. The victim told police they didn’t go for the bait and expressed concern for other unwitting victims who may have followed the instructions. Police said the strategy used in this case is a common fraud scheme implemented in many ways. – Ron Leir
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.